


Smiling

by AugustClown



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 07:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14929934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AugustClown/pseuds/AugustClown
Summary: Basically, it's a happy little one-shot on Hawke and Isabela's relationship featuring an inquisitive Merrill. Set during Act 3.





	Smiling

**Author's Note:**

> Occurs after Isabela’s Questioning Beliefs in Act 3. Admittedly, I forget the exact line Merrill uses in the game, so I came up with something I thought was close enough to it (if not the exact thing).

“Why are you smiling?”

It’s a simple question really. Asked innocently enough by Merrill. Sweet, sweet Merrill who means no harm by asking it. But it still catches Isabela off-guard. She could lie, but as she looks ahead at Hawke, leading the three of them through Darktown to Anders’ clinic, she finds herself telling Merrill the truth. Or a partial truth anyways.

“Oh, nothing, just thinking about something that makes me happy.”

“Oh? Why are you looking at Hawke like that then?”

At that, the warrior glances back and smirks. She slows down a little to walk beside the other two women.

“Yes, Isabela. Why are you looking at me like that?”

And Isabela truly wonders what she looks like in that moment. She can only imagine she looks like a love-sick puppy. But who could blame her? She was deliriously happy recently. Whereas she could not wait to get out of Kirkwall, she found herself realizing that everything she truly needed in life was right here in the city. Specifically, it was in the form of the smirking warrior on her left.

She retorts, “What can I say, sweet thing? You were providing such a great view of your arse just a few moments ago. Any person with functioning eyesight would look at you the same way as I was.”

Hawke responds quickly, “Oh? Is that it?”

And no, that’s not all it is. But Hawke already knows that of course. Merrill glances at the two, slightly confused, feeling as if she is missing out on something but knowing that she would find out in due time. The three of them were great friends after all, and after Isabela returned, they were closer than ever.

At that point, they’ve reached Anders’ clinic. The mage looks at the group of women in front of him before narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Isabela and Hawke, who have yet to tear their attention away from each other and acknowledge his presence.

“Ew, you guys are in love aren’t you?”

At that, the two women break their gazes and look at Anders. Merrill gasps. Hawke looks smug and Isabela looks as if you told her you knew her deepest, darkest secret. And in a way, Anders did know that secret. And he revealed it. To Hawke, to Merrill, to Isabela. To the patient he was still tending to (although the elderly man looked so senile, he would probably forget soon enough).

Isabela responds, “What?!”

Hawke replies with a smug, “Duh.”

Merrill just squeals and jumps up and down.

Anders smiles and rolls his eyes.

“Oh, I cannot wait to tell Aveline. And Varric! And Fenris. Oh, Fenris might finally stop brooding! This is so exciting,” Merrill rambles on and on.

Hawke side-eyes Isabela, noticing how she still stands tense. She pulls her off to the side, thankful Merrill has occupied Anders with conversation on when and how she should tell all of their friends.

“Hey, it’s not a bad thing that our friends know. They were going to find out sooner or later.”  
Isabela sighs, “Yes, I know. That’s not why I’m shocked. I’ve just never heard someone other than you say that word. The one that starts with an L. And I’ve never heard someone make that observation about us. It’s just...surprising is all to have our emotions out there and bared to the entire world.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, actually. I am.”

And Isabela means it. She wants her friends to know how happy Hawke makes her. Hell, she wants the entire world to know how she’s fallen for the warrior. This stubborn, smug, sarcastic woman who lost her entire family. Who carries the burdens of an entire city on her shoulder. Who still believes in the good in everyone even after the world screwed her over several times.

Noticing that Anders and Merrill are still distracted, Hawke places a chaste kiss on Isabela’s lips before walking over to her other two companions, unloading supplies from her pack for the clinic.

Isabela stands off to the side still, observing what’s going on in front of her. Looking at how Anders tends to his patient. Noticing how Hawke must’ve told Merrill a joke while they were organizing supplies as Merrill is laughing like she has never heard anything funnier in her life. And Isabela notices that she is smiling on her own this time. She thinks that she wouldn’t mind smiling for the rest of her life.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on Tumblr: @issuesofthesoul


End file.
